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A Special Gift

The last four years I was in 4-H, I was a part of the Llama club, and those were the *best* four years of my 10 years in 4-H!

I know it sounds strange, but I love llamas and they are my favorite animal. People are like ”eww, don’t they spit on you?” Only if you make them mad. 😉 (or with the first llama I showed, when you made her do stuff she didn’t want to do.)

They have so much personality, and are so lovable, and soft, and wonderful…at least to me! 🙂

My first llama I showed was Lorelei,

Big black and very sociable. While trying to work with her she would not always be a good llama and walk normally, quite often she tried to rub on me while we were supposed to be walking.

She was quite the spitter! When I made her do what she didn’t want to do, she would start spitting at me, I would then hug her neck until she stopped so she could not get it on me.
And the day that I won grand champion over all in costume class, she spit at me right in the face…oh the memories! The stinky green, slobbery memories! 😉

I showed her for 2 years.

The next 2 years I showed Annie.

(And for those of you who are wondering, the “Mike” sticker was one I got at the fair, it was for Mike Pence who was running for Governor. 🙂 )

Very adorable and very soft. 🙂 Not a spitter like Lorelei, but we still had our times of frustration, and I still had my work cut out for me since she had never been shown before.

But even in the midst of that, we had many, many good times together.

I had so much fun with this costume, and she did so well in accepting it! On my way back to the llama tent after getting changed into my policewomen costume, I had a little boy salute me. 🙂 That was quite funny!

Lots of work? Oh yeah!!! And in fact, the first year or two of llama I considered quitting, or at least couldn’t wait for it to be over with, but I am so glad I didn’t! Because believe me, on show day…every ounce of frustration, blood, sweat, and tears is so worth it! It’s SO much fun! 🙂

My last year, we were clowns, and won! 🙂 (Might I add with much help from our wonderful, llama club leaders! 🙂 )

Sometimes it can get quite interesting dressing your llama in pants that are supposed to fit people, not llamas, 😉 and not only making them fit, but putting them on! But we made it work and Annie was such a good girl and let me put all this crazy stuff on her! 🙂

Those 4 years in llama were and are very special to me! (That probably sounds ridiculous…oh well! 😉 )

So, last year when the club leaders sheared their llamas for the summer, they asked me if I wanted Loreleis and Annie’s wool…YES!

I bounded (okay, drove), home with several bags of wool, put them away in a safe place (because it was 4-H fair time, and fair time is no time to start a new project…well, unless your trying to get it done for the fair! 🙂 ), and there it sat for several months.

I thought about cleaning and carding it myself, but it would be a long and learning process because I don’t really know how to. So, I went to the expert! Or, I guess I should say I referred my family to the expert.

On my Christmas list, I put down that they could have the wool spun into some yarn for me and referred them to a friend who does that type of stuff really well!

I had forgotten that I put that on my list, but low and behold on Christmas morning, I opened a box that had all this llama yarn in it! At first, I was like “huh, what is this?” But that quickly turned into realization of what wonderfulness was before my very eyes! 😉

It smelled like llamas, it was both of my llamas wool spun together, and there were still just a few pieces of hay in the yarn…I. was. Elated!!!! 🙂

This past week I set out to make something from the yarn that I could use, but first I had to turn the nice looking shanks into balls of yarn so it would be a lot easier to use.

I started knitting…

…and finished one hand warmer. And then I knitted and knitted some more…

…and finished the second one!

Sewed up the sides…

And Wah-Lah!!!

Some nice, cozy, memory filled, hand warmers!

If I could, I would own both of those llamas…at least one of them! Or at least a llama! 😉 But for now, I will remember all the happy years we had together and keep my hands warm with their wool!

13 thoughts on “A Special Gift”

WOW! Cassia..what a great piece about “your” llamas!!!!! I loved reading and remembering along with you. And the hand warmers are so neat! If you want their wool in the spring…just let me know and you can have it! …and if your sister’s want some…we can arrange that too!!!

Hi Hannah! 🙂
I am so sorry that it has taken me a month to get back to you!

Here’s the pattern-it’s made up so let me know if you have any questions or problems, but hopefully it work out just fine for you! 🙂
Cast on 33 stitches.
Row 1 -K1,P1,K1,P1 continue to end of row.
Row 2- P1,K1,P1,K1 continue to end of row.

Repeat Rows 1&2 until desired length is reached for your handwarmer. Cast off leaving a generous tail (so you can use it to sew up the side with.)
Sew up the sides with a large, blunt eye needle (using your tails to sew it up), leaving a hole for your thumb.
Enjoy some nice, cozy, warm hands! 🙂